all of those stores were amazing. the days of going to the Mom & Pop stereo & record store, on saturday afternoon, are woefully gone forever. these videos are the next best thing. thanks for the tour & very well done, Sir.
That was an amazing trip, it truly is a peaceful place to visit. You are right up there with national geographic in your narrating and video recordings!
I think its great to see how respectful the people of Japan are and I'd love to visit someday and I'd spend much more time at those high-end stereo stores. Not much left in this country.
I'm so glad that you did this and took us along with you for your trip. Great photos. I subscribe to a guy on You Tube HiViNyws Channel and I believe he lives in Singapore and he is into Vinyl and he often takes us along with him via camera into Japan and the many audio shops and vinyl shops that I wished we had in the US.
With the pandemic taking over Japan it was a sincere pleasure to see the video once more and see some of my customers. Mix of food, love for music and a snapshot of a country I love and miss, stuck in Denver, was nice to relive. Thanks for tge the great video taken in more normal times.
Paul, what a brilliant video sir! I had the pleasure to frequently visit Japan for many years and was fortunate enough to indulge in all that lovely culture and well.....audio! Fond memories filling up my suitcases with plenty of beautiful Japanese vinyl. I sure hope to make it back there soon and tour again and hopefully yourself too. BTW I am sure others have detected your wonderfully relaxing narration that can be best described as ASMR. All the best.
Oh that brought back memories. I lived in Tokyo from 97-2001 and so enjoyed spending Saturday afternoons cruising the hi-fi stores with my kids in Akihabara (also known as Electric town). The stores look exactly as they did 20 years ago! Ended up replacing my home made speakers with some wonderful Sonus Fabers that I still love. Thanks for all your informative videos. I wish I had known of them earlier so I could have visited your place while in Boulder for a wedding last year.
Great travel-blog and audio tour! Thanks for sharing this part of your trip to Japan! Some of these places would never be found by an unescorted tourist!
I love the Japanese culture. A culture of perfectionists. I've got to get some sushi there someday and visit some hi-fi shops. Sounds like a great time.
Omg. This is not a treat. It’s a feast. An audiophiles dream come true. Ofcourse I can not afford what I saw but the craftsmanship into making these products are a visual treat. And only the Japanese have it in them to respect this finesse. Excellent video. 👍
Thanks for sharing this - helps me treating my "homesickness" because to me I felt like at home in Japan and I am counting the days until I get back :D I am glad you enjoyed your stay. Again, thank you for sharing this video. Greetings, ~Michael
Great report of a business trip and not biased by PS audio president and designer Paul, wow nice to be in the cockpit of that wonderful plane! Being famous has its pluses.
Paul McGowan 😮really? I believe you. I enjoy too your short videos explaining hi-fi issues and answering questions. I think I know why you say you apreciate japanese people and culture. Their education and respect. Something we are short is western countries ha ha ha. I join you in your apreciation for them, by the way, it must be adknowleged, your desings like almost the rest of all the american brands have improved in the aesthetical side of the audio components. Keep on working with the same ilusion, I woulnd't have though you were in your seventies.
What an amazing video. I love japan, it’s an amazing country.It was great to see two Well Tempered Turn tables side by side. The WT Classic Black is a killer piece of kit! I’m loving your videos keep them coming! BTW you’re looking good “ Old Man”!
Beautiful! I've been living near Nagoya for the past ten years. Your perspective was spot on. I learned about some new places to visit! Thanks! You can stay at my house next time if you want. My Japanese wife makes the best dinner every day!
Great video! Japanese people are music connoisseur, by nature and society they are very particular and precise in whatever they do. I would not mind spending my vacation money for such lovely, entertaining tour , though not sure if my better half would approve of it.
Another WONDERFULL video Paul!. and to tell you the truth!!! I was just Surfing CZcams and Saw >>> Japan HiFi tour. thinking it was just like the tour someone made in Las Vegas !!!!!!!!,,,lol then I see Paul!!!...lol
Paul, beautiful video. Japan has many awesome stores, but I really got very impressed with the ones l saw in Singapore. If you never been there, it’s worth a trip.
Paul, thanks for this and all your videos. I’m a 14-year Japan resident and relatively recent audiophile convert, and have struggled with the lack of selection in Japan compared with markets in the US or UK. So the names of the shops and contacts you visited (I know Japanese names look intimidating, but the phonetics are easy so 5 minutes prep and you can give your new friends the respect they’re due) would be very helpful. Also, the prices...Had to give up on Krell kit because the distributor wants 3x the US asking price and my B&Ws cost approximately double. Ouch!
Having visited the Audio Union in Ochanomizu myself, I quickly noticed the US hardware prices, so much higher that serious Japanese audiophiles would do better to buy them in the US and pay shipping and customs! Having also visited the nearby Disk Unions, I also noticed great selection and very reasonable prices for used US and UK LPs.
I’m not so sure. Paul doesn’t mention that the selection is much narrower overall in Japan than the US or UK, and prices for non-Japanese gear is often two to three times higher (I live here).
I worked for a Japanese company for 12 years. Best work experience I have ever had. I have the upmost respect for the Japanese people. They love their golf and HiFi, and excellent food. OMG the food! They have some of the world's best chefs. Even steak's. Paul, tell them about the famous beef they have ..man o man. What a great experience. Love the vid..
Wade, I’m a 14-year resident and you’re literally the first person I’ve heard who prefers working for a Japanese firm, given the un-pragmatic rules and sclerotic bureaucracy they’re known for (at least in-country). But I love it here and I’m glad it’s been a good experience for you.
Kyle Demko I know what your talking about. Yes there in Japan, it's way different. Their married to work. We worked a 40 hour week. It's was a breeze. But the Japanese I worked with we're great. They all were very happy to be here in the states. They got to play golf at an actual golf course lol.
Thanks I had forgotten what an electronics powerhouse Japan has been over the decades now. Also really surprised to see the range of record turntables available now...Laurie New Zealand
Electronics... Speakers... All ephemeral things! But the beauty and wonders of Japan are eternal! Thank you for some gorgeous photographs of Japan ! Pictures that are worth a thousand words!
Hi Paul, as always, I'm enjoying your videos, but the track you used at the end was quite unexpected. I really liked the last musical piece you used in the video and I would love to know how it's called! Greetings from Vienna, Austria Max
@7:48 Paul, the room that was your favourite (upstairs, basic 2-way speakers) what was the side wall treatment used in that room? I know you said it was all a blur, but it looked like an unusual treatment that made me curious.
Nice video! I’m happy to be an audiophile in Japan, where it is easy to get good equipment fast and with reasonably fair pricing. Staff also well educated.
The store at 5:43 reads "Shima Musen" and the one at 6:40 reads "Kabushikigaiisha Asahi Stereo Center", "Kabushikigaisha" means Limited as in Ltd. JFYI.
amigo excelente video, me encantan los aparatos hifi premium, pero tengo una duda, aun se fabrican en Japón esos componentes, al menos los de marcas de Japón? mi duda es por que mi papa se embarcaba en buques portacontenedores y nos traía aparatos como Sony, Sanyo technics que decían made in japan, y ahora veo solo made in china, gracias.
Does anyone know what the large white component between the two McIntosh power amps at 8:48 is? Also, what is the large black component left of the D'Agostino amps at 9:01? Thanks for the video Paul!
all of those stores were amazing. the days of going to the Mom & Pop stereo & record store, on saturday afternoon, are woefully gone forever. these videos are the next best thing. thanks for the tour & very well done, Sir.
That was an amazing trip, it truly is a peaceful place to visit.
You are right up there with national geographic in your narrating and video recordings!
I think its great to see how respectful the people of Japan are and I'd love to visit someday and I'd spend much more time at those high-end stereo stores. Not much left in this country.
Thank you, a lovely travelogue of your visit and so well narrated!
Beautiful video and amazing narrating voice.. thanks for sharing this work
I'm so glad that you did this and took us along with you for your trip. Great photos. I subscribe to a guy on You Tube HiViNyws Channel and I believe he lives in Singapore and he is into Vinyl and he often takes us along with him via camera into Japan and the many audio shops and vinyl shops that I wished we had in the US.
With the pandemic taking over Japan it was a sincere pleasure to see the video once more and see some of my customers. Mix of food, love for music and a snapshot of a country I love and miss, stuck in Denver, was nice to relive. Thanks for tge the great video taken in more normal times.
Paul, what a brilliant video sir! I had the pleasure to frequently visit Japan for many years and was fortunate enough to indulge in all that lovely culture and well.....audio! Fond memories filling up my suitcases with plenty of beautiful Japanese vinyl. I sure hope to make it back there soon and tour again and hopefully yourself too. BTW I am sure others have detected your wonderfully relaxing narration that can be best described as ASMR. All the best.
Oh that brought back memories. I lived in Tokyo from 97-2001 and so enjoyed spending Saturday afternoons cruising the hi-fi stores with my kids in Akihabara (also known as Electric town). The stores look exactly as they did 20 years ago! Ended up replacing my home made speakers with some wonderful Sonus Fabers that I still love. Thanks for all your informative videos. I wish I had known of them earlier so I could have visited your place while in Boulder for a wedding last year.
Great travel-blog and audio tour! Thanks for sharing this part of your trip to Japan! Some of these places would never be found by an unescorted tourist!
This was sooo cool! I was genuinely smiling throughout the video, props to the editor!
The Japanese people seem to really love music and quality equipment. It's great to see so much passion. Thanks for this video.
Japan is my next vacation destination... currently I’m so into Japanese rock and metal bands. They are at another level, i love it
Paulo Z Me too! BABYMETAL !! 🤘🦊🤘
This was SO relaxing to watch. You should narrate more travel films.
Maybe as much fun as audio? Thanks.
Beside great editing, what make this vid enjoyable is the familiar voice of a warmth personality of the narrator ...love you Paul
I love the Japanese culture. A culture of perfectionists. I've got to get some sushi there someday and visit some hi-fi shops. Sounds like a great time.
AWESOME VIEWS! BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY!
Paul thk you so much for this video ! listening to your voice...it's like I was there. Greetings from Italy
Omg. This is not a treat. It’s a feast. An audiophiles dream come true. Ofcourse I can not afford what I saw but the craftsmanship into making these products are a visual treat. And only the Japanese have it in them to respect this finesse.
Excellent video. 👍
Thanks for sharing this - helps me treating my "homesickness" because to me I felt like at home in Japan and I am counting the days until I get back :D
I am glad you enjoyed your stay.
Again, thank you for sharing this video.
Greetings,
~Michael
Amazing video, thanks Paul.
Great report of a business trip and not biased by PS audio president and designer Paul, wow nice to be in the cockpit of that wonderful plane! Being famous has its pluses.
Paul McGowan 😮really? I believe you. I enjoy too your short videos explaining hi-fi issues and answering questions. I think I know why you say you apreciate japanese people and culture. Their education and respect. Something we are short is western countries ha ha ha. I join you in your apreciation for them, by the way, it must be adknowleged, your desings like almost the rest of all the american brands have improved in the aesthetical side of the audio components. Keep on working with the same ilusion, I woulnd't have though you were in your seventies.
What an amazing video. I love japan, it’s an amazing country.It was great to see two Well Tempered Turn tables side by side. The WT Classic Black is a killer piece of kit! I’m loving your videos keep them coming! BTW you’re looking good “ Old Man”!
I was going to say the same...
That was a fantastic video journey
Thank you Paul
Awesome video...I want to go to Japan one day....really awesome country.......
Such a great tour through your eyes thanks
Enjoyed that Paul, thanks. The Japanese are also very big in Classic Harleys.
Beautiful! I've been living near Nagoya for the past ten years. Your perspective was spot on. I learned about some new places to visit! Thanks! You can stay at my house next time if you want. My Japanese wife makes the best dinner every day!
Very interesting video. Very uplifting too. Thank you.
Thanks for interesting journey. I feel like with u walking. Cheers.
I'm so relaxing when see your video sir..great job boss
As an owner of Monitor Audio Silver speakers it's very pleasing to see them next to those super expensive monsters.
Love my Silver 6
Spectacular Japan.
Thank you :-D
Beautiful. Simply beautiful. :)
Absolut breathtaking, such audio culture and good tradition.....i love it so much.....i am a vintage hifi-fan, it starts in 1972 till today ;-))
Great video! Japanese people are music connoisseur, by nature and society they are very particular and precise in whatever they do. I would not mind spending my vacation money for such lovely, entertaining tour , though not sure if my better half would approve of it.
Enjoyed watching it...wish I had them all 😌
Another WONDERFULL video Paul!. and to tell you the truth!!! I was just Surfing CZcams and Saw >>> Japan HiFi tour. thinking it was just like the tour someone made in Las Vegas !!!!!!!!,,,lol then I see Paul!!!...lol
That last shop indeed was the best. Outside Japan shops like this are not completely gone. I live just 15 km from one and bought loudspeakers there.
Like many veterans, I picked up most of my gear in Japan. Still have my main components and love them. Even in the 1980's they had some great gear.
Excuse me!! ..... even in the 1980's. Dude, it all started in Japan!
Thank you Paul for sharing that!! Nice job!!
Thanks for watching!
I have a soft spot for Japan too. Never been there but I know one day I will visit. On my to do list.
Really interesting video, Paul.
I love Japan with my whole being and I thank them for everything I do
Greetings from Greece such a beautiful country Japan is and it's people :-)
Wow what a beautiful country ....i will go crazy in those stores
ALL Electronic is amazing in Japan,Made in Japan ever &forever,thank you.
Paul, beautiful video. Japan has many awesome stores, but I really got very impressed with the ones l saw in Singapore. If you never been there, it’s worth a trip.
Very high quality video editing and raw footage.
Reported hifi culture of my home countly really respectfully. Thank you very much!
Japan looks like an amazing country! I want to go to Japan just to ride on bullet trains!
Love Japan. Lived there for many years. Bought my first nice system there, sonus fabers + accuphase + teac cd player.
Why did you leave and how was it living there?
Paul, thanks for this and all your videos. I’m a 14-year Japan resident and relatively recent audiophile convert, and have struggled with the lack of selection in Japan compared with markets in the US or UK. So the names of the shops and contacts you visited (I know Japanese names look intimidating, but the phonetics are easy so 5 minutes prep and you can give your new friends the respect they’re due) would be very helpful.
Also, the prices...Had to give up on Krell kit because the distributor wants 3x the US asking price and my B&Ws cost approximately double. Ouch!
Having visited the Audio Union in Ochanomizu myself, I quickly noticed the US hardware prices, so much higher that serious Japanese audiophiles would do better to buy them in the US and pay shipping and customs! Having also visited the nearby Disk Unions, I also noticed great selection and very reasonable prices for used US and UK LPs.
Awesome video, thanks for posting it!
Wow! Disney World for us Audiophiles.😊 Domo
I’m not so sure. Paul doesn’t mention that the selection is much narrower overall in Japan than the US or UK, and prices for non-Japanese gear is often two to three times higher (I live here).
There is nothing even close to Audio Union here in London!
TheMusicForMasses my burmester by 1610s are made in London England unless you live in Canada
Nice video. Thank you CZcams for suggesting it to me.
Nice video, Paul, thank you!!
I love japan so much. Food, hifi, vinyl and camera. Everything what I care except the wine haha.
Sake is hot mate.
Thanks Paul for the very interesting insight in this Country. So the Japanese habe other goals in terms of sound?
Listen to those NS-1000s you were stood next to early in the video?
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the Beryllium Yamahas.
I worked for a Japanese company for 12 years. Best work experience I have ever had. I have the upmost respect for the Japanese people. They love their golf and HiFi, and excellent food. OMG the food! They have some of the world's best chefs. Even steak's. Paul, tell them about the famous beef they have ..man o man. What a great experience. Love the vid..
Wade, I’m a 14-year resident and you’re literally the first person I’ve heard who prefers working for a Japanese firm, given the un-pragmatic rules and sclerotic bureaucracy they’re known for (at least in-country). But I love it here and I’m glad it’s been a good experience for you.
Kyle Demko I know what your talking about. Yes there in Japan, it's way different. Their married to work. We worked a 40 hour week. It's was a breeze. But the Japanese I worked with we're great. They all were very happy to be here in the states. They got to play golf at an actual golf course lol.
WADE BRADLEY Paul is a vegetarian. I doubt he cares about Kobe beef. Lol
Just came across this video. Really nice.
Tokyo is beautifull. And these hi fi stores make me drool
Beautiful narrated nice video!
Thanks I had forgotten what an electronics powerhouse Japan has been over the decades now. Also really surprised to see the range of record turntables available now...Laurie New Zealand
Electronics... Speakers... All ephemeral things! But the beauty and wonders of Japan are eternal!
Thank you for some gorgeous photographs of Japan ! Pictures that are worth a thousand words!
thanks for the video, great work !
Dear Paul, Thank you very much for this video.
superb video, so relaxing
Great job.Would it be possible to provide the names and addresses of some of the shops in Tokyo?
That was amazing. Can't believe there no open machines. Those stores were full of candy.
Hi Paul,
as always, I'm enjoying your videos, but the track you used at the end was quite unexpected. I really liked the last musical piece you used in the video and I would love to know how it's called!
Greetings from Vienna, Austria
Max
Awesome soundtrack throughout the video, can anyone ID any of the songs?
Such a beautiful place
Tks a lot fr uploading
@7:48 Paul, the room that was your favourite (upstairs, basic 2-way speakers) what was the side wall treatment used in that room? I know you said it was all a blur, but it looked like an unusual treatment that made me curious.
I spent 20 days in Japan in 2017. Cities visited: Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Tacayama, Hakone and Mt. Fuji. Japan is Great...
Nice video! I’m happy to be an audiophile in Japan, where it is easy to get good equipment fast and with reasonably fair pricing. Staff also well educated.
Great video. Man I need to go to Japan.
Lovely photography, quiet a change from 'Does balanced xxxx matter'
Such a great video!
Thank you.
Great Vid Thank You
Wow is this photography all your own? Its incredible!
Great video 👍
Thank you for sharing. What do you think about the Japanese minimalisme. (For example Lab47)
Do we here in America have anything like this ?? I know we used to have hifi shops everywhere.
The store at 5:43 reads "Shima Musen" and the one at 6:40 reads "Kabushikigaiisha Asahi Stereo Center", "Kabushikigaisha" means Limited as in Ltd. JFYI.
amigo excelente video, me encantan los aparatos hifi premium, pero tengo una duda, aun se fabrican en Japón esos componentes, al menos los de marcas de Japón? mi duda es por que mi papa se embarcaba en buques portacontenedores y nos traía aparatos como Sony, Sanyo technics que decían made in japan, y ahora veo solo made in china, gracias.
Very interesting, thank you!
Hubert
This is my favorite video on the channel!
We could learn a lot from Japan!
Very nice journey vid.
Oh dear, you missed Dynamic Audio 5555 in Akihabara. Hope you enjoyed the trip!
Does anyone know what the large white component between the two McIntosh power amps at 8:48 is?
Also, what is the large black component left of the D'Agostino amps at 9:01?
Thanks for the video Paul!
ekp8525 Acoustic Art Germany
Don’t know why someone would thumbs down this video. Nice work.
You see this anytime word “Japan” is mentioned.
cuz haters everywhere..
My only guess: Not everyone has our state-of-mind and not everyone is into high-end audio. Those might find the presentation, narration a bit cheesy.
''All the best stuff comes from Japan''
Marty McFly :)
anti-Japan and anti-USA are the Asian style of PC.
What’s the name of the piano track starting at 2:20?
Nice video, but you were in Tokyo and didn't make a stop at KRS?! Some of the best speakers available in Japan are in their showroom.
Great video..
Great video! Quality stuff! HiFi tour... Are you seriously? )) Hi-End Tour!!!
wow thank you!!!
Great video